The Problem With All Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter. Say it again and again. Black Lives Matter. That's the movement. That's the movement founded on July 13th 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi. But here ypu are saying 'All Lives Matter'.

And do you know what? You're absolutely right. All lives do matter, but right now, we're fighting against police brutality and the murders of black people, so they don't become another trending hashtag on Twitter, so they don't become another name that has to be said, so they don't become another piece of art with the texts 'Say His/Her/Their Name' or 'Justice For__' on Instagram.

All lives cannot matter until black lives do. This is to remind you that black lives matter too. Unfortunately, a lot of people have forgotten that.

If all lives do matter, why are black people getting killed by the police at an disproportionate rate? What about the refugees who escaped from their country for a better life? What about the children and the adults that die at mass shootings? Don't their lives matter, or the guns that you strongly advocate for matters more?

What about women who are forced to go through with their pregnancies? You do realise that no matter how they got pregnant, their lives come at a halt right? What about that eleven year old girl who was forced to keep her baby after getting raped, and then died at childbirth? I don't remember hearing 'All Lives Matter' then. Better yet, what about those clump of cells that you wanted to keep alive so bad, only to neglect them when they grow up non white, or gay, or bisexual, or pansexual, or non binary or disabled. Basically not a straight, white abled bodied child?

I don't remember seeing your 'All Lives Matter'.

This is why I have never seen 'All Lives Matter' in the scenarios described. It's because 'All Lives Matter' is sued by racists to dismiss 'Black Lives Matter'. They don't care about all lives, they care about themselves. 'All Lives Matter' benefits them and them only, and no one else. Racists, if All Lives Matter, shouldn't you get mad too? Shouldn't you get mad about the disproportionate rate of black people getting murdered by the police?

If All Lives Matter, it's time to address the links between racism and police brutality and fight with us.

If All Lives Matter, then go and put on your damn mask.

If All Lives Matter, stop with the attacks on the LGBTQ+ (you know, mocking gender pronouns, physical assault on same sex couples and calling them homophobic and transphobic slurs, and your awful ‘dark humour’ jokes too) and let them live their lives. Because their lives matter.

When 9/11 happened, no one said 'All Buildings Matter'. When Hurricane Katrina happened, no one said 'All Countries Matter' or 'All States Matter'. When Parkland happened, no one said 'All Schools Matter'. Instead, we held memorials, we helped clean up after the hurricane hit and find the missing people, we reposted the victims' names and posts about gun control.

Your 'All Lives Matter' energy is beyond disgusting at this point.

Until this ‘All Lives Matter’ rhetoric stops, All Countries Matter on July 4th, All Buildings Matter on September 11th, All Birthdays Matter on June 14th and December 25th, All Armed Forces Matter on Memorial Day, All Jobs Matter when it’s time to applaud the medical field, because what about other jobs? What about other armed forces? What about other birthdays? What about the Leaning Tower of Pisa and The Eiffel Tower and my damn house?

Think of it this way: A car breaks down on a motorway. All of the other cars drive past. Which car needs more attention? Or is it ‘All Cars Matter?’

Or when you’re running to raise money and awareness for dementia, are you going to run too or shout ‘All Diseases Matter’?

All cars matter and all diseases matter however, what’s important is the car that broke down and raising money and awareness for dementia.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

All lives just cannot matter until black lives do. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.

If all lives truly matter, then get up and protest the murders of black people due to police brutality. What? Did you say no? I thought that All Lives Matter!